Loose leaf binder



June 11, 1935. s. H. DAWSON LOOSE LEAF BINDER Filed Oct. 9, 1935 I N VEN TOR. 050265 0A mso/v 0mmm ATTORNEY.

Patented June 11, 1935 UNITED STATES :P-Ar iE f 1 2,004,570 LOOSE 'LEAFBINDER George H. Dawson, ChicagmIIL, assignor to Wilson-J ones Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Massachusetts Application October 9,1933, \S erial l Io. 692,747

16 Claims. (01 129- 2 1) invention relates to loose leaf binders, and

more particularly to a lever adapted to move'the sheet retaining prongs of-a loose leaf binder to.

ual pressure on the prongs themselves. This is- 10* not particularly objectionable in cases of binders oismallcapacity where the prongs are held under comparatively light tension. In. the case of binders of large capacities it is necessary to'provide heavy tension on the prong plates to retain 1 the con-tents in the binder under ordinary conditions. Consequently it is quite a task for a girl to close the prongs-of a binder of this class. The method *of closing the prongs by applying manual pressure against the prongs is objectionable also because of the danger of catching a fingeror hahd between the prongs being closed.

It is an object of this invention to provide a lever for closing the prongs of a loose leaf binder safely and with a minimum of effort. It is a fur-1 5- ther object of this invention to provide 2. prong closing lever that will not interfere with the normal use of the binder. It is a further object of this invention to provide a prong closing lever that will lie adjacent to the coverplate of the binder mechanism as long as the prongs of the binder are in closed position, and will automati-' cally move to operative position whenever the prongs are opened, regardless of whether' the prongs are moved to open position manually or by means of the opening lever. It is a further object of this invention to provide a prong closing lever that is economical to manufacture and as semble. and is efiicient and durable in use. Other objects of this invention will become apparent 40 upon reading the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which: W

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a loose leaf. binder embodying the invention;

: Figure 2 is a fragmentary perspective view illus trating the prong closing lever when the prongs are in closed position;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating the lever supporting means and the spring for holding the lever against the cover plate; and Figure 4 is a perspective view of the binder mechanism with parts removed showing the relationship of parts when the prongs are opened. In the drawing, the reference numeral 2 designates a back member of a loose leaf binder. A pair of covers '3 are hingedly connected to the; opposite edges 'of the back member. A ring metal 4 is secured to the back member 2 in any suitable manner.

.The ring metal 4 includes a-pairof toggle plates 5 arranged inside by side relationship within a back plate '6.' The longitudinal edges of the back plate are bent to;v form flanges-l adapted. to embrac'e the outer edges of the toggle plates 5.. The inner edges of the toggle platesfi are maintained in abutting relationship by means of conventional-buttons 8. A plurality of prongs 9 are secured to the toggle plates 5 inqany suitable manner. The prongs on opposite plates are preferably mated to form rings, as shown in Figures l and, fl. suitable sheet retaining prongs may be substituted forthe divided ring prongs. A coverplate 10 has itsouter edges-formed: to embrace the edges of the back plate. One end of the cover. plate lllis bent, as indicatedat ll, Figure l,' to close the end of the'ring metal and togive it a finishedappearance. l l

One endof: the ring metal.is;prov ided with a conventional ring opening lever, l2. The lever IZ'is pivoted on the back plate 6, and has a foot 'portion l3- (Figured) adapted to lift the inner "edges of the toggle platesto open the prongs when the finger piece of the lever I2 is depressed. The lever I2 is not essential to my invention, but it is generally preferableto have some formsof booster lever to open the prongs of the binder.-

,A supporting bracket M has a base portion l5 (Figure 3) secured to the undersideof the back plate 6 in any. suitable manner, such as weld! ing, riveting or the like. The toggle plates 5 are notched to provide an aperture I6 through which the upright portion of the bracket extends. The cover plate in is provided'with an aperture. l1 larger than the aperture I 6. The upper end of the supporting bracket .14 'is' bifurcated to form two flanges I18." r

A prong closing lever I9 is pivotally secured to the supporting member M by means of a pin- 20 which passes through the flanges l8. A coiled spring 2! surrounds the pin 20 and has one end bearing against the underside of thelever and the other end bearing against a horizontal por tion of the bracket M. The spring exerts a con stant force tending to urge thelever l9 against the cover plate. This spring action also prevents the prong closing mechanism: from rattling. The prong closing leverplfi has a finger piece 22 It is obvious, however, that any;

shaped to conform to the contourof the end ll of the cover plate It! so that the lever will be as inconspicuous as possible when in inoperative position.

The lever 19 is provided with cam portions 23 which project through the aperture IT in the cover plate to engage the toggle plates 5 on opposite sides of the aperture I6. The cam portions 23 are so shaped that'when the toggle plates 5 are moved to open position, the prong closing lever is moved from its inoperative position shown in Figure 2 to the operative position shown in Figure 4 against the pressure of the coiled spring 2| Since the movement of the toggle plates causes the movement of the lever, it makes'nodiiference whether the prongs are opened by means of the booster lever l2, or by manual forceapplied directly to the prongs, The prong closing lever l9 will always be in operative position whenever the sheet retaining prongs are in open position. The position o'fthe toggle plates when the prongs are inopen position, as'shown in Figure 4, will maintain the lever fill in operative position until th'etoggle plates are moved into-prong closing position. The spring 2| will force the lever l9 "ag'ainst thefcover plate when the prongs are closed regardless of how they are closed.

I It will be seen thatI have devised a simple and eflicient prong closing lever that is automatically moved to operative position whenever the prongs are moved-to open position, and is maintained in operative position until the prongs are closed. The leverage of the prong closing mechanism is sufliciently'great so' that the prongs of a-loose leaf binder may be'closed with littleeiiort even in cases where the prongs are held under extremely heavy tension; The clearance between the finger piece of the prong closing lever and the ring closest thereto is always great enough to obviateany danger of catching the finger of the user between the prongs. l f

While I have described a preferred embodiment of my invention in detail, it will be understood that the description thereof is illustrative'rather than restrictive, asmany details maybe modified or'changed without departing from the spirit or scope of my invention. Accordingly, I do not desire to be restricted to the exact constructionde scribed, except as limited by the appended claims.

1. In a loose leaf binder, a ring metal including a plurality of sheet retaining prongs,-a lever operable to' move said prongs. to-close'd position, spring means urging said lever toward inoperative positiomand means to movesaid lever to operative position against the action of said spring means when said prongs are moved toopen posi-,

tion..

2. In a loose leaf binder, a ring metal including a plurality of sheet retaining prongs, a lever operable-to move said prongs to closed position, spring means urging said lever towardinoperative position, and means to maintain said lever in operative position against the action of said spring means when said prongs are in open posi-,

tion.

3. In a loose leaf binder,-a ring'metal including a pair of toggle :plates and a plurality of sheet retaining prongs secured to said toggle plates, a lever positioned above said toggle plates having a cam portion. operable to move said prongs to closed position, said lever remaining ininoperative position as long as said prongs remain in closedposition, and automatic means to move to open position.

5. In a loose leaf binder, a ring metal including a pairof toggle plates and a plurality of sheet retaining prongs secured to said toggle plates, a lever engaging said toggle plates to move said prongs to closed position, and spring means urging s'aidlever toward inoperative position, said toggle plates maintaining said lever in operative position against the action of said spring means when said prongs are in open position.

.-6. Ina looseleaf binder, aring'metal including a;pair of toggle plates and a plurality of sheet retainingfprongs secured to said toggle plates, a. lever operable to move said prongs to closed post-- tion, Js'aid' toggle plates maintaining said lever in operative, position when said prongs are in'open position, and spring means adapted to move said;

lever to inoperative position when said prongs'are moved to closed position manually. H

7.-In. a loose leaf binder, a ring metal ing a pairof toggle plates'and a plurality of sheet retaining prongs secured to said toggle plates, and. a lever pivotally supported above said toggle plates, said lever being; operable to move said prongs to closed position, said toggle plates-beingadapted to move said lever from inoperativeto operative position when said prongs are moved to open position and to maintain said lever in operaas said prongs remain in tive position as long open position 8. In a loose leaf binder, aring metal including a plurality of sheet retainingprongs anda cover plate, a supporting member secured tosaid ring. metal, a lever-pivotally secured to said" support-.- ing member, saidlever being operable to move said prongs to closed position, and spring means holding said lever against saidcover plate said prongs are in closed position.

/ 9. In a loose leaf binder, a ring'metal including when aplurality of sheet retaining prongs, a support-j ingmember securedto saidring metal, a lever, a pin pivotally securing said lever to said supporting member, said lever-- being operable to move said prongs to closed position, and means to move said lever from inoperativeto operative position whensaidprongs are moved to open position.

.10, In a loose leaf binder, a ring metal including aplurality of sheet retaining prongs, a support-- ing member secured to said ring metal, a lever pivotally securedto said supporting member, said lever being operable to move said prongs to closed position, spring means urging said lever towards inoperative position, and means to maintain said lever in operative position againstthe-action of position.

saidspring. means when said prongs are. in; open 11. In a loose leaf binder, a ring metal including.

a back plate, a pair of toggle plates mounted in said back plate, a plurality. of sheet retaining prongs secured to. said toggle plat s, and a cover plate embracing the longitudinal edges of said back plate, a supporting member secured .to said back plate, a lever pivotally secured to said supporting member, said lever having a camportion engaging said toggle plates to move said prongs includto closed position, and spring means holding said lever against said cover plate when said prongs are in closed position.

12. In a loose leaf binder, a ring metal including a back plate, a pair of toggle plates mounted in said back plate, a plurality of sheet retaining prongs secured to said toggle plates, and a cover plate embracing the longitudinal edges of said back plate, a supporting member secured to said back plate, and a lever pivotally secured to said supporting member above said cover plate, said lever having a cam portion engaging said toggle plates to move said prongs to closed position, and said toggle plates being adapted to move said lever to operative position when said prongs are moved to open position.

13. In a loose leaf binder, a ring metal including a back plate, a pair of toggle plates mounted in said back plate, a plurality of sheet retaining prongs secured to said toggle plates, and a cover plate embracing the longitudinal edges of said back plate, a supporting member secured to said back plate, a lever pivotally secured to said supporting member, said lever having a cam portion engaging said toggle plates to move said prongs to closed position, and spring means urging said lever toward inoperative position, said toggle plates being adapted to maintain said lever in operative position against the action of said spring means when said prongs are in open position.

14. In a loose leaf binder, a ring metal including a back plate, a pair of toggle plates mounted in said back plate, a plurality of sheet retaining prongs secured to said toggle plates, and a cover plate embracing the longitudinal edges of said back plate, a supporting member secured to said back plate, and a lever pivotally secured to said supporting member above said cover plate, said lever having a cam portion engaging said toggle plates to move said prongs to closed position.

15. In a loose leaf binder, a pair of toggle plates, a cover plate provided with an aperture spaced from one end, a lever having cam portions intermediate its ends depending through said aperture to depress said toggle plates.

16. In a loose leaf binder, a ring metal including a plurality of sheet retaining prongs, a back plate and a cover plate, a supporting member secured to said back plate and projecting through said cover plate, and a lever pivotally secured to said supporting member, said lever being operable to move said prongs to closed position.

GEORGE. H; DAWSON. 

